Avoiding Love
by PhoenixOwl
Summary: Zuko and Aang discover a new facet to their relationship. But when they decide to deny them their feelings for the sake of the world, what will the others do to get them together, and will everything go according to plan?
1. A Perfect Night Gone Wrong

_I'll keep this brief: Enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: This is Zuko/Aang, for one. Second: I don't own Avatar._

* * *

><p><strong>Avoiding Love<strong>

**Chapter One: A Perfect Night Gone Wrong**

* * *

><p><em>Aang pulled against his iron shackles, hitting them with one air knife after another. They rattled under the abuse, but refused to give in.<em>

_"Aang!" Zuko called from across the room. The heat of his firebending was suffocating, but it seemed to be having as much effect as Aang's airbending. Where the hell was Toph!_

_Glancing up at the man standing high above them, Aang could feel the sweat begin to pour down his face. People had started filing into the stadium's seats, their forms mere shadows in the dim light of the torches._

_"This isn't funny anymore, Toph!" Aang shouted, his voice echoing against the cavern's walls. "Toph!"_

_The man above turned away with a chuckle, and began speaking quietly to a figure shroud in shadows._

_Biting his lips, the panic beginning to well inside him, Aang turned to Zuko. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice quiet so that only Zuko could hear. "I got us in this mess. I should have admitted my feelings for you in the beginning and... I'm sorry."_

* * *

><p>Katara stood alone in the dimly-lit room, the large stand mirror before her. She ran a comb through her hair, over and over, making sure it was perfect. She had already gone over her clothes a dozen times that evening, and a small casket of makeup she used only on special occasions sat open on the wooden desk beside the mirror. Tonight would be the first night she got to spend with Aang in a long time, and she wanted to look her best.<p>

With a final stroke she set the comb down. With the ambient orange glow from the candle behind her, she had to say she looked beautiful. Earings dangled from her ears, small wolves sparkling in the candle flame. Her mother's necklace was wrapped around her neck, and a sapphire teardrop - one that Aang had gotten her for her birthday last year - lay against her forehead. Nodding in satisfaction she turned to the door of the guestroom. Her heart was beating faster than normal. She knew she shouldn't be making a big deal out of this, but for some reason it seemed special. A night she wanted to remember.

With a deep breath she opened the door and stepped out into the palace hall. The corridor was empty save for Aang, who was leaning against the wall beside the door, whistling softly to himself. He straightened as Katara stepped out, a smile beginning to form on his lips - and then it stopped. His jaw slackened, and Katara watched with amusement as his eyes scanned her up and down.

"You're... You... I mean..." Aang muttered. He gave his head a shake and finally said, "You look good tonight."

"Just good?" Katara gave him a mock frown. "I was hoping-"

"Amazing," Aang interrupted. "You... you look amazing."

Katara chuckled, taking Aang's arm. They started through the halls as a slow pace, not wanting to rush the night in any way.

"It was nice of Zuko to invite everyone to the Fire Palace," Katara said, trying to get some small talk going. "I haven't seen everyone together in..."

"Since that day after Ozai's defeat, at Iroh's tea shoppe," Aang finished for her. "Two years ago."

Katara nodded. It really had been a long time since "Team Avatar" had been together. Since the Fire Lord's defeat, the world had been in a state of peace. Each member was off preforming their own duties in the world's restoration. Even Katara had been hard at work, the Southern Water Tribe's newly constructed city requiring more than a little attention.

Tonight, however, was the anniversary of the Fire Lord's defeat, a holiday celebrated in all corners of the three Nations. Even the Fire Nation participated in the revelry. Its people were noticeably happier since the fall of their oppressive government, and seemed to have embraced Zuko's leadership with open arms. It was interesting, Katara thought, how thoroughly an entire nation could be suppressed under a ruler like Ozai.

Katara glanced at Aang. Tonight was also the first night in nearly three months that she got to spend with Aang. Between his duties as the Avatar and hers to her tribe, they hadn't had much time to see each other. They had built a relationship after Ozai's fall, but Katara could see it weakening from prolonged absence. Tonight they would be able to resolidify it. Perhaps after the small vacation was over, she would take leave of the Southern Water Tribe for a time and travel with Aang. She was sure her GranGran would understand.

They turned the corner to the main palace doors, and Katara let out a gasp. From the open doors a line of massive, ribboned torches stretched to the city gates, flickering in the breeze. Two gigantic tables laden with food and refreshments stood to either side of the door, and in the center of the courtyard sat an immense dance floor, the band's upbeat music filling the night air. People were already dancing merrily, couples exchanging partners in a traditional Fire Nation group dance. Their laughter carried with the music out over the courtyard, mixing with the low buzz of talk emanating from the large crowd that filled the rest of the party.

As Katara stepped out into the warm summer night air she looked up. Floating paper lanterns intermingled with the splash of stars, and the full moon that topped the palace's roof lit up the sky. Katara felt a sense of euphoria fill up inside her. The laughter, the people, the beautiful decorations - this was something she could only have dreamed of as a child. And now here she was, standing in its midst, the Avatar at her side, the world balanced, happy.

"Ah, Aang, Katara, there you are." Katara pulled her gaze from the sky to see Zuko and Mai approaching, garbed in traditional Fire Lord and Lady dress clothes. People parted for them as they moved, giving small bows or curtsies before returning to their conversations. The four of them exchanged hugs, and Katara couldn't help but grin. Unlike Aang, who seemed to stop by the Fire Nation once a week, Katara hadn't seen Zuko or Mai in ages.

"Nice party," Katara commented, motioning around her.

"Yeah, nice," Mai replied. She sounded bored, but Katara didn't let that bug her. She knew Mai too well for that.

"It helps when you're the Fire Lord," Zuko chuckled. "You just snap your fingers, and next you know the courtyard is replaced with a circus."

"Half the city seems to be here," Katara replied. The crowd was certainly thick, though rather calm and stagnant, with the exception of the dance floor. It made for a nice change from the bustling crowds of the Southern Water City's streets and construction sites.

"The palace gates are open to everyone," Zuko shrugged and smiled. "Anyone not here is partying somewhere else."

They fell silent, shuffling their feet and watching the crowds. After going through the collapse of an empire together, finding small talk was hard among members of Team Avatar.

"Ahh, Fire Lord Zuko. A pleasure to see you safe and healthy," a voice said. They all turned to find its owner a short, elderly man. "It's been years since I last saw you. A shame about your father, eh?"

Katara and Aang ducked away as Zuko turned to start talking to the man. They made their way toward one of the refreshment tables.

"Zuko sure is popular," Aang noted, taking a peach from one of the fruit bowls.

"He is the Fire Lord now, I suppose," Katara agreed. "You would be too, if I hadn't suggested you slip on that headband."

Aang scratched at the old headband he had wrapped around his forehead and grinned. He had let his hair grow out again during his travels, and with a fancy Fire Nation uniform on, he was all but unrecognizable as the Avatar. Katara gave silent thanks that Aang had agreed to her suggestions. She had him all to herself that way.

"I thought I felt Twinkletoes around here." Katara glanced over her shoulder to see both Toph and Sokka pushing through the crowd toward them. "Long time no see!"

"The old team is back together again!" Sokka put in. He fell into a sword-fighting stance. "Ready to take on the great evils of our time! To clash where no man has clashed before!"

Katara crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "And what would we be clashing here, dear brother?"

"Toph's outfit, of course!" Sokka lifted the collar of Toph's coat tentatively. "Look at this, a green Earthbender's uniform with, dare I say," he plucked the red cap Toph was wearing from her head, "a red headdress?"

Toph made a swipe in the air for the cap, but missed by more than a few inches. "Oh, I'm sorry I can't colour coordinate. At least I don't have a broken nose."

"What broken nose?"

Sokka ducked the punch just in the nick of time - only to be hurtled into the air and land awkwardly against the cobblestones. The slab of earth Toph had bent sunk back into the earth, and she moved to follow Sokka, who had immediately scrambled to his feet and disappeared into the crowd. "Give me back my hat, you worm!"

"Some things don't change," Aang muttered with a chuckle. He took the last bite of his peach and tossed the pit in a designated bowl.

"Apparently not," Katara sighed, shaking her head. She supposed she shouldn't be surprised. She had lived with her brother most her life, after all.

Scanning the party, her eyes fell on the large dance floor, which had switched styles to a freestyle dance. She turned to Aang, a sparkle in her eye. "Wanna dance?" she asked.

Aang's grin widened, and they quickly beelined it to the dance floor. As they arrived, the song changed pace to a high speed boogie. Without a word they both climbed up to the floor and fell into bending stances, circling one another slowly.

Then they began. Twirling, twisting, somersaulting through the air, they danced like the fleeting wind, moved like water flowing through the air. Feet faster than the eye, they enacted a show they'd preformed many times over. Their bodies seemed to sync and become one. They traded dance moves instead of blows, incorporating fighting styles and bending forms into the dance. As always seemed to happen when they danced, the rest of the floor stopped, the people making room for their performance. From their vantage, the party seemed to come to a standstill while they churned the air around them. Katara could hear gasps and sounds of awe. Some started clapping or stomping their feet to the beat. Her own heart began to beat faster, sweat beading against her forehead - and it felt amazing. She let out a laugh as she did a butterfly kick through the air.

The music eventually came to an end, and was replaced by a slow but familiar melody. Katara and Aang came to a stop, bowed formally, and then came together. Aang, rested his chin on Katara's shoulder and pulled her close, and they began to sway with the music. Katara felt her senses start to cloud as she let herself melt into the moment.

Katara let out a small sigh. "It's been a long time..." she whispered. She could feel his body against her own, and it brought happy memories from after the war to her mind. She felt herself sink into his arms. She could hold this forever, pass away into the spirit world without a care or regret.

The music eventually turned back to a more upbeat rhythm, and they broke apart. They meandered through the crowd to take seats around the refreshment table. Glass of punch in hand, Katara let herself fall into her chair, feeling suddenly tired. That dance must have taken more out of her than she thought.

She looked up in time to see Mai sink into the chair beside her. A quick scan of the crowd found Aang and Zuko chatting beside the punch bowl, Aang's arms moving animatedly. Katara felt a brief pang of jealousy. Zuko always seemed to be able to bring the life in Aang to the surface easier than she. The laughter that floated over a moment later only added to the feeling.

"Enjoying yourself yet?" Mai asked casually. She was munching on an absurdly large cookie.

"Of course," Katara replied. "You?"

"Mmm," Mai shrugged, mouth full. As she swallowed, she nodded toward Zuko. "You know," she said, a slight measure of concern appearing in her voice, "Aang stops by the Fire Nation once a week, at least."

"I figured as much," Katara said, trying to sound apathetic. "It's probably a prime spot for his duties, what with the refugees and the diplomacy arrangements." She really didn't feel like getting into that conversation at that moment. Tonight was supposed to be a happy one, not one for dredging up jealousy or unpleasant speculations.

Mai nodded, apparently sensing her mood, and changed the subject. "Zuko's been rather busy lately."

"Oh?" Katara glanced at Mai suspiciously. It wasn't like Mai to try and make small talk. It _really_ wasn't like Mai.

"He'll disappear for hours at a time into his small study. The paperwork he has piled on his desk..." Mai turned to meet Katara's eyes. Katara quickly turned her gaze to the floor, not wanting her friend to read her suspicion.

A hand suddenly touched her shoulder, and she jumped, letting out a small squeak. Aang's face appeared before her, an amused smile lighting his eyes.

"Zuko wants to show me a project he's been working on. We'll only be a minute," he explained. Before Katara could open her mouth he'd disappeared, following Zuko around the corner of the palace and into the shadows of a garden.

With a sigh, Mai got to her feet. "You can deny it all you want, but you have to admit, something is wrong," Mai said. Katara couldn't tell whether her tone was annoyed, worried, or something else. "It's better to admit it now, while we still have the chance." And with that she disappeared into the crowd.

Katara leaned back against the chair, taking a deep breath to calm herself. Mai was just overly paranoid. Yeah, that was it. Something in the back of her mind scoffed at the thought of Mai being paranoid, but Katara discarded it. She wasn't going to start suspecting Aang of having feelings for someone other than her. That was untrustful, among other things.

She watched the lanterns dance among the stars, trying to lose herself in their beauty, while she waited for Aang to return. She needed something to take her mind from her brief conversation with Mai. _Leave it to Mai to give you a handful of words that stick in your mind for the whole night,_ Katara thought, annoyed. She couldn't blame her friend, though. Mai was simply expressing concern, in her own way. The situation affected her as well, after all.

"What situation?" Katara said aloud, drawing a couple stares. She ignored them, straightening her gaze. "There's no situation. When did I start calling it a situation?"

Directing a pointed glare at a plate of pastries, she rose from her chair. She needed to take a walk. Aang would find her later, she was sure.

Striking a path toward the garden Aang and Zuko had disappeared into, she sunk into the shadows between the rose hedges. The smell of flowers filled the air, and she breathed deep. It was relaxing, the familiar aroma. Slowly she ran her hand across a rose. Her heart fluttered at the sensations, and she let out a sigh.

As she pressed deeper into the garden, the sound of trickling water reaching her ears, she began to sort her thoughts. There was no reason to think Aang had feelings for someone else, let alone worry about him being unfaithful. The Southern Water Tribe was far out of the way of the other major cities, and had yet to truly enter into the world politics. Aang was busy, and couldn't be making constant detours just to see her. Zuko, on the other hand, would need all the help he could get from the Avatar to sort his Nation out and get it back in line with the other Nations. They would be forced to spend a lot of time together. And, she thought amicably, he was one of Aang's best friends. She couldn't blame them for spending time together, and neither could Mai.

As she ventured through the twisting paths of the garden, she felt a weight lift from her shoulder. It had been silly to let Mai's simple suggestion get at her so easily. She was enjoying the evening. She shouldn't let anything tear that down. With a contented yawn she circled around a hedge, preparing to head back-

And stopped dead. Before her, underneath a large yew, stood Aang and Zuko. Aang's body was pressed tightly against his companion, their lips locked in a deep kiss. Their eyes were closed, and they seemed oblivious to the world around them, completely lost in the moment. Katara watched, her brain refusing to process what she was seeing. It was... they... and...

She fought the urge to lash out in rage, to take advantage of the full moon and bloodbend them as far from each other as possible. Instead she turned and ran. Tears began to splash down her face before she could even begin to sort the sudden hurricane of emotions beginning to churn in her chest. Her mind was silent, the image burned into her mind.

Everything welled up inside her at once, battering against her chest in a swell. The run back to the party was a haze as thoughts began to torrent through her head. Stopping at the edge of people, she scanned the crowd, trying to fight blurry eyes to pick out someone, anyone.

It was no use. The crowd was too thick, and the longer she stood there the worse her tears flowed. She turned on her heel, and a moment later found herself flying down the corridors to her rooms.

She didn't know where to start sorting her thoughts as they came flying into her mind. Reaching to door to her room, she threw it open, tore inside, and flopped onto the bed, door slamming shut behind her.

How could Aang do that to her? It was unbelievable! And with one of his best friends! A guy! If it had been a girl, she could have had a cat fight. That would make her feel better. A little. So did that make Aang gay? Was the Avatar spirit gay, or just him personally?

"Goddammit!" Katara cursed, throwing a pillow angrily at the wall. It bounced at an angle and struck the mirror, sending it toppling with a crash. She ignored it, burying her face in another silk-wrapped pillow. It absorbed her tears, quickly becoming damp.

How long had Aang been seeing Zuko? _Were_ they seeing each other? Or had that been an on-the-spot fling she'd walked across? Had they noticed her leave? Did Aang feel guilty about it? Or were they laughing at her, calling her a naive little girl for believing the _Avatar_ could stay with a simple waterbender from some small downtrodden tribe?

She had to talk to Aang, make him confess to the deed, and tell her why he had done it. She was halfway off the bed before deciding against that idea, at least for the moment. With a emotional sigh she flopped back now on her bed and just let the tears flow, the sobs wracking her body.

* * *

><p>She didn't know how long she had lain there, but she didn't guess long. Her tears had long since dried, and she'd curled into a ball, her mind running blank. She felt numb, as though she had run through all the emotion she could give.<p>

The last thought she could remember having was whether this new turn of events truly changed anything. As she had been saying to herself more than once throughout the night, this was her first time seeing Aang in three months. What sort of relationship were they balancing anyway? Had the fleeting plan of accompanying Aang on his duties for a time really warranted such an emotional breakdown? It was becoming obvious to her now that the trip likely wouldn't have salvaged their relationship.

Using that thought as strength, she pushed herself from the mattress. Her body ached from the shaking, and her head throbbed from the sobs, but she shook them both off. She needed to make a reappearance at the party, lest anyone worry about her and come looking. She wasn't willing to deal with questions at that moment.

She turned to the mirror to check her appearance, only to find it shattered, pieces scattered across the floor. Sighing, she picked up a large shard of glass, and checked her makeup. As she'd expected, the tears had completely ruined it. Without much effort she bent water from the nearby wash basin over her face, cleaning it with ease. If anyone asked, she could say she'd accidentally fallen in a puddle. Or something.

Making a quick check of her clothes, hair, and jewelery, and trying her best to make her puffy eyes unnoticeable, she turned to the door. Breathing deeply she opened it, not really ready to face the world, but knowing it would be worse later if she didn't do so now.

The party hadn't lost any of it's energy during the her absence. Molding into the crowd, she quickly found her way to a stand of chairs laid out along one end of the dance platform. She sat back and, under the guise of watching the people dance, scanned around for anyone she recognized. Especially Aang. She wanted to make sure people knew she hadn't disappeared, but she didn't feel like dealing with anyone. Not at that moment.

Before she had been sitting for more than a minute, she spotted Suki in the crowd. The Kyoshi warrior seemed to spot Katara at the same moment, and began to weave through the crowd toward her, a slight smile on her face. Katara balled a fist in the silk of her dress, taking a couple deep breaths to fix her composure. That was the other thing she didn't need at that moment - friends asking her what was wrong.

"Hey Katara! I haven't seen you in... what's wrong?"

_...Crap._

Katara flashed Suki a smile as she took the seat next to her. "Nothing's wrong," Katara said in as steady a voice as she could manage. "Why do you think something's wrong? Huh?"

Suki blinked. _Too forceful..._ Katara sighed. She never had been good at hiding her emotions.

"I've known you long enough to know when something is bothering you," Suki replied calmly. She placed a hand on Katara's knee and smiled. Damn sister-in-laws. They knew how to dig right to the core.

Katara shook her head, staring at her knees. "It's... well... I'm not really sure what it is."

"I see..." Suki's voice carried a hint of curiosity and a heap of confusion.

Figuring that at that point, spilling her problem might be easier than evading Suki's interrogations, Katara spat out, "I just caught Aang kissing Zuko."

A silence fell between the two of them, and Katara shifted awkwardly. She could see Suki trying to process the information, maybe make sense of what Katara had just told her. Had she had an inkling into Aang and Zuko's feelings as Mai had, or had she been as oblivious as Katara?

"Oh..." Suki finally muttered, her voice soft. "Yeah... that..."

"'Yeah, that'?" Katara repeated with a frown. "What's 'that'?"

"Well..." Suki said, biting her lip as she struggled to find the right words. "You've got to admit, this was a long time coming."

Katara felt dumbfounded. So she did have an inkling. Had Katara been the only one not "in the know"? Had she been deluding herself the whole time? Aloud, she simply said, "It was?"

"Well, yeah," Suki said, the inflection in her voice making the point that it should have been obvious. "They had a spark, so to speak. The only reason Aang dated you was because he hadn't had enough time to let the spark with Zuko fan, whereas he had been traveling with you for a long while."

Oh, yeah, right, of course. Aang was simply using her as a stand-in while he waited for his true feelings for Zuko evolve. Why hadn't she thought of that? "Thanks, Suki," she said with a sigh. "Real uplifting."

Suki seemed to suddenly realize what she'd said, and smacked herself on the forehead. "That didn't come out right," she mumbled with a groan. "Sorry."

"It's alright," Katara gave a wave of her hand. "Aang and I were drifting apart anyway. I'm getting overly emotional over it."

She felt Suki wrap an arm around her, and Katara couldn't help but sink into the human contact. "You have every right to be mad. And Sad. Down right pissy, even," Suki said, care in her voice. "Just know that we're here for you."

Katara saw Toph and Sokka approach from the side, and she let out another sigh. She wasn't sure if she wanted to deal with their... mocking wasn't the right word, but between Toph and Sokka, she was sure to get hell. Though perhaps they wouldn't notice that something was wrong. Maybe they could take her mind off it for a brief moment with an unamusing squabble or humorous quip.

"Hey guys, what's up?"

"Katara just caught Aang and Zuko snogging."

_Yeah. The universe just about hates me today, doesn't it?_

"Oh," Toph frowned. "Well, even I 'saw' that coming."

"You did?" Sokka said incredulously. "Really? Aang and Zuko?"

Katara covered her face with her palm. Awesome. She was as oblivious as Sokka. Just awesome.

She could feel Suki glaring daggers at Sokka over her shoulder. Toph, however, who wasn't able to see the silent threats of death, asked, "So, what are we going to do about it?"

"What do you mean?" Katara asked offhandedly. What was there to do about it? She wasn't going to be the annoying ex and beat one of them up, or stand in their way.

"Well," Toph muttered, lost in thought. She adjusted her headpiece - Katara noticed a large bruise forming on Sokka's arm, obviously the result of his stealing the garment - and said, "How are we going to make sure they get together?"

"Toph!" Suki scolded. Toph shrugged, but she laid a comforting hand on Katara's shoulder. Katara wrapped her own hand around Toph's. She knew her friend meant well, even if she didn't always know how to show it.

"I think I'm just going to head to bed for the night," Katara finally said. She was starting to feel exhausted, and her goal of being seen back at the party was accomplished, even if its intended purpose of postponing questions had failed miserably. "If Aang asks where I went, tell him I've retired for the night."

"Alright," Suki nodded. "I'll help you to your rooms."

Katara leaned on Suki's comforting arm as they meandered their way back toward Katara's rooms. The emotional drain had finally sapped her of the last of her energy, and as they walked she could feel sleep trying to snatch her away. Her last thought before being lowered into her bed was of how her perfect night had been flipped upside down in such a brief and simple moment.

* * *

><p><em>Alright, a couple things: Sorry for those of you who hate Katara. The next chapter is from her point of view as well, so... sorry? Anyway, secondly, a huge thank you to my friend VixenReborn for giving this a quick read. And third: thank you to you, the reader. Thanks!<em>


	2. The Morning After

_Enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: I disclaim._

* * *

><p><strong>Avoiding Love<strong>

**Chapter Two: The Morning After**

* * *

><p>Katara's head was exploding. There wasn't any other word for it. It felt as though someone was taking a chisel to the front of her skull and hammering it down. Hard.<p>

Groaning, she rolled over, the silk blanket sliding off her. Sunlight from the window illuminated her pillow, threatening to blind her if she didn't get up. Struggling with the dizziness the headache generated, she swung herself out of bed. She felt as though she'd gotten hammered the night before. She hadn't even drank!

Katara stood - and immediately regretted the motion. Her foot came down on one of the shards of broken glass littering the floor. It sliced the sole, and she stumbled backward. Landing hard on her back, she stared up at the white wall, the feel of warm blood trickling down her foot.

"And now I hurt even more," she sighed, not bothering to move. "When a bad night transitions into a bad morning, it might be a sign not to get out of bed."

"That bad, huh?"

Katara sat up in startlement. Glancing at the door, she saw that the owner of the voice was Aang, and had to bite back a groan. Did he know she knew? Would he try and apologize, or comfort her? Or was he here just to tell her he was leaving her for another man? Oh crap, what should she do?

Suddenly glad she had gone to bed fully dressed, Katara stood, wincing at the cricks that sounded from her back. She kept her face schooled, keeping the emotion that was trying to push to the surface down. She wanted to yell at Aang, or go find Zuko and give him a good fist to the face, but she needed to control her anger. Violence wouldn't solve anything. Or so she kept telling herself.

Katara met Aang's eyes. Aang smiled weakly before averting them. Crap, he did know. _Well,_ she thought, _better get it over with now._

"Aang..."

"Katara, I'm sorry," Aang mumbled. "I... Toph told me you saw."

Gossip traveled fast, even amongst friends.

"Aang, it's-"

"I just want you to know," Aang interrupted again, "that it was nothing. We... I don't know what came over us."

It was _nothing_? Katara was conflicted between strangling Aang and comforting what was obviously a very confused boy. The former was winning.

"Aang, I-"

"It would probably be best if we... took a break for now," Aang said overtop of her. "You know..." he motioned between them.

"Well, what I-"

"I'll just-"

"Aang!" Katara shouted. Aang's mouth clamped shut, his eyes widening slightly. With a frustrated sigh, Katara continued what she had been trying to get in edgewise. "I understand. I'm not happy about it, but everyone is saying they saw it coming, so... I'm not angry with you." That last part was a lie, but he didn't need to know that.

Aang blinked. Nodding slowly, he replied, "Toph said she knew it would happen too. I don't know why. It's not going to happen again. We both have our duties to attend to. It was just a hormonal thing..."

Before Katara could tell him that was ridiculous, Aang disappeared. She moved to follow him, but thought better of it. They could straighten things out later. Right now she had a broken mirror, a bleeding foot, and an aching body to deal with.

Twenty minutes, a bit of self-healing, a bag of glass shards - Katara could have asked a servant to clean up, but she felt it was her responsibility to take care of - and some personal grooming later, Katara stood outside the door to the palace dining hall. Her head still throbbed, and she hadn't been able to do much about her back, but she could now hold hope that the day wouldn't be completely miserable. She had even talked to Aang, if briefly. The rest of the day could be spent relaxing, enjoying the time with her friends, and putting the rather abrupt events of the evening behind her.

Stepping through the open door, she found Mai and Ty Lee nibbling from small platters of fruit, locked in deep discussion. They glanced up as Katara entered, both sending her apologetic looks before returning to their conversations. Katara took a plate and sat across from the two girls, munching her fruit in silence. She didn't even bother trying to eavesdrop on the two - she was sure she didn't want to know.

Finally their whispers came to a stop and Mai, throwing an apple core onto her empty plate, leaned forward, catching Katara's eye. They stared at each other for a moment, before Katara gave in and said, "What?"

"You know what," Mai replied, frowning slightly.

"Alright, you told me so," Katara sighed. "Happy?"

"That's not what I meant," Mai shook her head. "Are you alright?"

"Oh..." Katara said, feeling a pang of guilt for snapping at her friend. "I suppose I'll be fine." A thought occurred to her then. Examining Mai's expression, she tried to find any shred of sadness or anger in the woman. "What about you? This effects you just as much as it does me."

Shaking her head, Mai leaned back in her chair. "I saw this coming a long time ago," Mai replied calmly. "I already had my moment of sad realization. It was just a matter of time."

"And you didn't end it with Zuko right then?" Katara asked, surprised. Had she known Aang's feelings lied somewhere else, their relationship would have been severed faster than a PenguinFrog on ice.

Mai gave her a mischievous smile. "Why? Dating the Fire Lord has some very nice perks."

Katara raised an eyebrow, and Mai's smile turned reminiscent instead.

"I still love Zuko, Katara," Mai sighed. "He makes me feel... well, he makes me feel. I suppose I just wanted that to last as long as I could let it." Ty Lee rested a comforting hand on Mai's shoulder.

Katara nodded. That made sense, she supposed. Even so, the two relationships were at an end. Now the question was, what did they do next? Katara asked as much aloud.

"We get the two bastards together," Mai replied simply.

There wasn't much Katara could say to that. For some reason, she knew that was the best course of action. She had already seen that the two idiots wouldn't admit their feelings on their own - Aang was being too stubborn, and she could guess that Zuko was as well. Despite the fact that it hurt to think of setting Aang up with someone else, Katara knew that that was what would make him happy.

* * *

><p>Katara spent the majority of the day soaking in the Fire Nation's summer sun, basking in the humidity of the air. She was joined occasionally by friends - Suki, Ty Lee, Toph, and even Sokka came to enjoy the rays and her company for a time. Lunch came and went, and not hide nor hair was seen of either Aang or Zuko - not by Katara, at any rate. That suited her just fine. She hadn't dealt with Zuko yet, and she was enjoying her sun far too much to feel like worrying about it.<p>

As supper approached, however, she could feel her nerves beginning to tighten. Zuko had requested that they all be there for the large feast he'd planned, the first complete gathering of Team Avatar since the days after Ozai's defeat. She had been looking forward to the evening, eating and laughing with her friends. That was before she realized how awkward it would be, of course. Now... now she would much rather just eat alone in her room.

Katara heaved a sigh, pushing herself of her chair. The sun was beginning to sink toward the horizon, and she knew she would get summoned for dinner soon. She didn't feel like getting fancied up for the occasion, but the presumed it would be best if she didn't show up in her swimming outfit.

_Curse that Zuko,_ she thought as she went through the motions of returning to her room and changing her clothes. She had thought the man would betray her one day, back before she got to know him. She had assumed he would try to kill Aang, though, not make love to him. Now here she was, with what should have been a fun few days turned awkward. She would have to give him a piece of her mind next time she saw him.

* * *

><p>The dinner was extensive. As Katara sat down, she couldn't help but ogle at the variety of foods that filled the table. She saw dishes from all over the world, from famous Fire Nation cuisine to stews she remembered eating during her stay in the Northern Water Tribe. Foreign fruit piled of silver platters, and entire array of buns, biscuits, and breads that looked fresh out of the oven. More smells than she could count mingled in the air, causing her stomach to roil with hunger, and she couldn't help but lick her lips. Perhaps she could enjoy this after all.<p>

Taking a seat, Katara glanced around the dining hall, waiting patiently for everyone else to arrive. Despite her reservations in coming, she was the first there, not counting the army of servants running back and forth between the kitchens. The dining hall had been completely made over, decorations hanging from the ceiling and the walls. More of those floating lanterns from the night before hung in the air, illuminating the table in an ambient light. Despite her mood, Katara had to admit that the hall was beautiful. Perhaps if she managed to avoid Aang and Zuko, she really could enjoy-

"Katara," Zuko's soft voice floated across the hall to her. Katara brought her gaze down to the door, where she saw Zuko standing in the same clothes he had worn during his short stint with Team Avatar. He had even let his hair down, his bangs ruffled and partly obscuring his eyes.

"Hello," Katara greeted stiffly. Now that Zuko was standing in front of her, she didn't feel awkward or nervous. Just angry.

Zuko shuffled over sit across from her. He stared at the table in silence, obviously at a loss for what to say. So Katara started the conversation for him.

"You arrogant, hot-headed, boyfriend-stealing... bah!" she turned her gaze away from him in a huff. She couldn't even insult him right. The man looked so much like a lost, hurt puppy that it made berating him very difficult. Much like Aang had looked earlier. _Phaw,_ she thought, annoyed, _they deserve each other!_

Zuko tore his gaze from the table. "Katara, I'm sorry," he said, nearly a whisper. "I didn't mean to. It just sort of happened. Ugh." His hands disappeared into his hair as he let out a frustrated sigh. "I hurt both you and Mai. How could I be so stupid."

"A question for the ages," Katara muttered, but she knew she shouldn't be helping the man wallow in his angst. If she knew Zuko, he needed a friend to pull him out before he drowned in it. The least she could do was throw him a lifeline.

"Zuko..." She formed her words carefully, making sure he knew she was angry, and that it was his fault, but that he shouldn't let it consume him. Or something. "I am pissed at you, and I would like nothing more than to give you a piece of my mind, but... Mai was prepared for this. And I'll live..."

Katara sighed. _Awesome pep talk, Katara. You should take over a sports team or something._ Well, what did she expect, anyway? She was the one in need of a pep talk.

Zuko smiled weakly. His emotions were still obviously conflicted, but hopefully that would fade with time. Then she could punch him without feeling guilty.

"I promise it won't happen again," Zuko bowed his head respectfully.

"Stealing my boyfriends or kissing Aang?"

"Both."

_Oh goddamn it!_ He really _was_ as stubborn as Aang. The Universe was going to force her to get them together whether she liked it or not, wasn't it? She needed to start paying more attention to Mai's advice.

Toph and Suki chose that moment to enter the hall, laughing loudly at something. Zuko rose from his seat with a nod to Katara, following a servant into the kitchens. Katara watched him go, wishing there had been more she could have done. _More I could have done?_ She gave her head a shake. She was far too caring for her own good.

Suki and Toph took seats on either side of Katara. Suki laid a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Ready to take on the evening?" Suki asked.

"As long as Aang and Zuko don't start sucking face, I should survive," Katara sighed. After speaking to both Aang and Zuko, that didn't seem a likely outcome anyway. "I've talked to Zuko. Hopefully it won't be completely awkward."

"Did you give him a good smacking?" Toph asked, punching the air in demonstration.

"Not exactly..." Katara replied. "I sort of... tried to make him feel better."

"Katara..." Suki gave her an amused smile before pulling her into a hug. "You're too caring for your own good, you know that?"

"I was just thinking the same thing."

"Well," Suki pulled back and placed both hands on Katara's shoulders. "We're having a meeting later tonight, with everyone but Zuko and Aang. Mai wants to make plans for getting the two together. She says that they've decided to completely ignore their feelings." Suki shrugged. "Why they would do that, I don't understand. But I would understand if you don't want to come."

"After the last twenty-four hours," Katara said, and she felt a small smile form in spite of herself, "I think an evening spent planning how to best torture Aang and Zuko would be in my best interests."

"Excellent," Toph said excitedly. "I've already got an idea that should-"

"Later, Toph," Suki interjected quickly. Aang appeared through the door a second later, wearing the same outfit he had the night before. He stopped in the doorway, scanning the hall in slight awe. His eyes met Katara's and he quickly glanced away, a pained expression jumping to his face. He slowly moved to the opposite side of the table and took a seat, looking quite lonely. Katara made to go over and comfort him, and then checked the movement. Somehow she doubted her company would make him feel better right at that moment, not to mention the effects it would have on her own mood.

It wasn't long after that the rest of Team Avatar had found seats around the table. After a short speech from Zuko about the company of friends and the achievements this small band had made, everyone dug into the food with gusto. Laughter quickly filled the air, mingling with the various aromas. Wines of all sorts were passed about, and before Katara knew it, she found herself laughing with everyone else. She nearly toppled her chair over from a joke Toph quipped, and her and Suki found themselves doubled over during a conversation about Sokka's many antics.

The food was as delicious as it smelled. Katara sampled as many dishes as she could, taking large helpings of a couple of her favourite Southern Water Tribe recipes, and discovered a couple Earth Kingdom trays that made her mouth melt. She drank deeply of the wine, spiced and heated, but took care not to indulge too much. She wanted to keep some form of sanity if she was to partake in the meeting later that night.

As they ate, drank, and had an all-around good time, Katara couldn't help but glance at Zuko and Aang. They had taken seats at the table that placed them as far from one another as possible. Sokka appeared to be talking Aang's ear off, and despite the recent break-up, Mai and Ty Lee had Zuko cornered. Both Aang and Zuko were smiling slightly as they listened to what their company was chatting about, but Katara could see that the smiles were empty. Once again she was struck with the perception that Aang looked lonely despite his friends, and a close look at Zuko proved that his mood wasn't much better. Despite their being the infractors in their current mess, they seemed to be taking it the hardest. As Katara had heard more than once that day, Zuko and Aang seemed to be determined to sweep the brief expression of their feelings under the rug and continue on as though nothing had happened.

Once they had all eaten more than they could fit in their stomachs, the main course was cleared away and replaced by every delicacy and dessert known to man. Cakes as tall as Katara lined the table, interweaved with puddings, pastries, pies, and a hundred kinds of fruits. Katara stared at it all, her stomach already feeling more than a little bloated, but she took a plateful of the treats anyway, her sweet tooth pulsing excitedly. One bite into a lemon tart, and she felt as though she was in heaven, sinking into a land of bliss and-

"Are you okay there, Katara?" Suki poked her, giggling softly. Katara blushed, nibbling modestly on her tart.

It was long after everyone had filled themselves to the limit before the seats began to empty. Aang was the first to leave, excusing himself politely and disappearing down the hall. Zuko, not one to be a bad host, remained at the table, but Katara could see that he too wanted to be alone too. Eventually, seeing that the sun outside had long since dropped below the horizon, Katara rose from the table, sad that the dinner was over. She was glad she had been able to put aside her emotions and have a good time.

As she left the hall she found Toph trailing behind her, a mischievous smile lighting her face. Katara stopped to wait for her friend. Toph discreetly motioned down a side corridor, and Katara followed. She presumed the meeting was to be held somewhere down there.

"I'm so glad these floors are made of stone," Toph said offhandedly. "I feel so blind when I'm in most houses."

"I wonder why," Katara quipped, and Toph raised an eyebrow at her, feigning hurt feelings. A moment later Toph directed them down another side hall, and only a few feet down she stopped, facing the door to one of Zuko's many guest rooms.

Toph led the way in, and they found Mai and Iroh sitting on the large bed, deep in conversation. They broke off as Katara and Toph entered.

"Iroh, you're here too?" Katara asked before she could stop herself.

"Oh, you do not think the happiness of my nephew matters to me?" There was a twinkle of amusement in Iroh's eye.

"No, I just... surprised I guess..." Katara smiled and shrugged, at a loss for words. She took a seat on the floor, back against the wardrobe, and waited in silence. She had to smile at the way Toph was bouncing up and down with anticipation. Whatever plan the girl had, she couldn't wait to get it out.

It didn't take long for everyone to file in. As Ty Lee, the last person to arrive, closed the door behind her, she said, "Aang is off in the gardens, and Zuko is taking a bath, according to one of the servants. We should be safe for now."

"Alright," Mai said, taking a deep breath. "We're here to discuss-"

"Everyone knows what we're here for!" Toph interrupted impatiently. "Let's get to the planning!"

Sokka, who was sitting backwards in the chair beside her, leaned in her direction. "Why are you here, anyway?" he asked, his expression puzzled. "I thought you would be upset."

"You're damn right I'm upset," Katara snapped, "but if this 'relationship' was so dang obvious, I might as well help get it moving. Aang deserves to be happy, even if he is a prick."

"Exactly," Toph crossed her arms. "If Twinkletoes and Zuko are too dense to pursue their feelings, then it's up to us to shove 'em together and tell 'em to make happyface." Toph punched her palm for emphasis.

"Well," Iroh said, his voice thoughtful. "I would not go so far as to say they should be forced together. But it is indeed obvious that they are going to need a nudge in the right direction."

"Oh hush, old man," Toph waved in his direction. "I have a plan that's going to kick butt."

"We can tell," Suki said with a snicker. Toph directed a glare in her direction before continuing.

"I say we lock them in a closet," Toph explained quickly. "No, a room. With a TigerPanther. They'll be so scared they'll fall into each other's arms. Ha!"

Katara stared at Toph blankly. "Really?" she sighed. "A TigerPanther? Toph, this in Aang and Zuko we're talking about. The Avatar and a Firebending master, remember? They'd have the thing on a spit before we locked the door."

"Well..." Mai leaned back on the bed, staring at the roof. "It might not be a totally horrible plan."

"Horrible?" Toph snorted and crossed her arms.

"Aang and Zuko are avoiding each other right now," Mai continued, ignoring Toph's outburst completely. "We need to force them together, to get them to talk whether they want to or not."

"But as Katara pointed out," Sokka countered, "it's Aang and Zuko. A room isn't going to keep them in for long."

"That's why we need something better," Mai agreed. "Something that would force Aang and Zuko to work together to escape from."

The room grew silent as everyone delved into their minds for such a place. Katara thought about ditching them in a forest, or in the middle of the sea, or somewhere amongst the snow dunes around the Southern Water Tribe, but anywhere she decided was far too easily escapable by Aang. They needed somewhere where it would take them a considerable amount of effort to escape...

"What about a cave?" Ty Lee piped. Her gaze, which had been staring off into nothing as she thought, focused back on the present. She bit her lip as she continued, "There's that network of caves not far from here. If we 'lose' Aang and Zuko in them..."

"I can take them there!" Toph exclaimed. "I can say... we... um... well, I can make up some lame excuse to go venture the caves, and force Zuko and Aang to come along. Once we're far enough in I'll just slide into the walls and follow them. I can easily negate any of Aang's earthbending, so they'll be lost! They're bound to come to some sort of epiphany!"

Mai sat up, arms crossed. "That might just work," she muttered.

"Sounds sound to me," Sokka nodded. "We just need to convince Aang and Zuko to go with Toph."

"Leave that," Toph said, an evil grin alighting on her face, "to me."

Katara suddenly had a bad feeling about the whole venture, but she pushed it aside. An entire day with no worries of accidentally walking into Aang or Zuko? It was too good an offer to refuse. Besides, it seemed the only plan to get the two stubborn knuckleheads to talk, anyway.

* * *

><p><em>Well there you are. I'll get the next chapter up as soon as I can. Thanks for reading and reviewing! (I swear I'm trying to reply to the reviews! I swears on the precious!)<em>


	3. Spelunking

_Right, so. Sorry this took so long to edit. Been busy, other things, yada yada. Good news is I have everything written now, so it should be a matter of just editing it all. There's two more chapters, I believe. -Checks.- Yup. So yeah. Fun times._

_Oh, and my apologies to those who read this and thought it was complete. FFN is a sneaky little monkey and must have clicked "Complete" on accident. That's right! I blame the software! Anyway, I'm hoping it's complete soon! Wish me luck! More luck! I WANT YOUR BLOODY LUCK! -Ahem.-  
><em>

_Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar. There's nothing else to see here. Move along._

* * *

><p>The corridors were busy in the wee hours of the morning as servants scuttled along to prepare the palace for its daily activities. Toph yawned into the back of her hand as she followed the traffic, feeling the vibrations of their footfalls through the stone at her feet. She couldn't help but wonder how these people pulled themselves out of bed before the sun every morning and still summoned enough energy to go about their duties. She felt like a boulder trying to roll down the hall, very heavy and tired. Or, a boulder that she couldn't earthbend, anyway. Not that there <em>was<em> a boulder that she couldn't earthbend. She just - well, she was just tired.

They had stayed up rather late working out the details of the plan, making sure things would go as smoothly as possible. Toph had her excuse ready to go. The only thing they needed now was Aang and Zuko.

Toph turned down the corridor containing Aang's room. She could feel the resonance of his shuffling through the floor. Good, she wouldn't need to go searching for him.

With a sharp knock on the door, Toph threw it open and walked in. There was a shout and a crash.

"Toph!" Aang said, sounding winded. "Wha- What are you doing here?"

"I have a proposition," Toph said, crossing her arms.

She could hear Aang climbing to his feet. "Don't you ever knock?"

"I did."

"As you were opening the door!" Aang countered. "I'm half naked."

_Ahh,_ Toph thought. _The naked thing._ "I can hardly see you," Toph replied aloud, giving Aang a slightly amused smile. She often found it funny when her friends forgot she was blind.

"I..." Aang stuttered, "It... oh. Right." There was a few seconds of silence before Aang continued, "So... a proposition?"

Toph nodded. "There are some caves on an island not far from here. There's supposed to be something buried deep. The remains of an ancient underground civilization, or something. But only earthbenders can get through the caves safely, so that's why no one has been down there yet."

"I see..." She could hear the skepticism on Aang's voice. "I don't know Toph. The last time I went digging around an ancient civilization, Zuko and I nearly died. Multiple times."

"But you both learned a lot about firebending, right?" Toph pointed out. She wasn't going to let him weasel out of this.

"Right..."

"Look, at the first sign of immediate danger, we'll leave, all right? Come on, it could be an adventure!"

Aang sighed, "All right. When do you want to go?"

"Right now."

"_Now?_" Aang nearly whined. "Can't I at least get something to eat first?"

"I have food in the sack," Toph motioned to the sack hanging from her back. "It's a long flight to get there, and I doubt you want to spend the night in those caves."

She could hear the resignation in his voice as Aang said, "Fine. Give me a sec to get dressed, and we'll go."

Toph left the room, closing the door behind her to give Aang some "privacy". As she leaned against the wall to wait, she couldn't help but frown. It wasn't usually like Aang to try passing up excitement of any sort, especially not something like this. _He must really be down,_ Toph thought. Hopefully they would cure that today.

A moment later Aang appeared at the door, and they set out for the stables where Appa was being cared for. If all went to plan, Iroh would have Zuko there around the same time they arrived. Toph had decided it best for Aang and Zuko to not know the other was involved until as late as possible. Once at the caves, Iroh would simply stay behind with Appa, claiming some ailment of age or something. Toph was sure the old man had more than enough of them.

The day was warm already, that blazing ball of heat still low in the East. They exited the palace through a side door, a direct line to the stables. As Toph had hoped, she could feel two figures approaching from across the cobblestones, their footfall patterns distinctive. Definitely Zuko and Iroh. Perfect.

Aang also noticed them, stopping dead in his tracks, one foot still in the door. Toph crossed her arms. She'd gotten him this far...

"I didn't know they were coming too," Aang mumbled. He sounded... nervous.

Toph felt like punching the little bugger. That was one of his best friends approaching - lover even, if Toph had any say in it.

"I invited Iroh. He must have thought bringing Zuko was a good idea. Come on," Toph reached out and grabbed Aang's shirt, all but dragging him over to the stables.

By the time they had woken Appa and pulled him out onto the cobbles, Zuko and Iroh had arrived and were waiting patiently. Toph could feel the heartbeat of both the Avatar and the Fire Lord, quick and erratic, their nerves obvious. Well, that would be fixed soon.

Climbing up into the saddle with a little help from Zuko, she gripped the sides tightly, preparing to leave. A moment latter Appa took off at with a lurch. It wasn't long before they were soaring along at high speeds, Toph's hair whipping about her face. She tried not to think about how far from the earth she was, and concentrated instead on the destination. Traveling via Appa was always unsettling. She preferred good, solid stone or soft dirt beneath her toes.

"Where is this island?" Aang's voice carried on the wind. She could hear him munching on a stick of dried meat.

"That way," Toph could hear Iroh directing Aang. "I'll tell you when you must land."

"So," Toph felt Zuko settle beside her, his voice only loud enough for the two to hear, "is there really some ancient civilization beneath this island like Uncle said?"

"That's what I hear," Toph replied. "I wonder what we'll find."

"Hopefully not traps," Zuko muttered.

"Maybe treasure," Toph grinned in spite of herself.

She felt Zuko shrug. "Maybe. Maybe we'll find a civilization that predates history. Other than what the Avatar..." Zuko paused awkwardly at the title, "um, what he can discover through the Spirit World and by communicating with his past incarnations, we have very little record of anything preceding a few thousand years prior. According to historians, the four bending elements were once only one entity, and civilizations were build up around that power, much the same as they are now around the four. It would be intriguing to find evidence of such a civilization, and maybe discover how they worked and even secrets into the nature of their power, wouldn't it? I mean, we saw a little bit of that power when..." Zuko coughed, "when Aang bent Ozai's spirit and stripped him of his powers, but to be able to expand our knowledge in that field would be truly something. There's very little-"

Toph raised her hand, cutting Zuko off abruptly. "You know, you've become quite the nerd since you took up the Fire Lord's crown." She smiled to take any offense out of the comment.

Zuko snorted. "'An educated ruler is far more reliable than one who is ignorant'," he quoted. She had heard the quote before in her studies back when she was under her parents' roof. Hyanth or Pyoth or some other stuffy old dude had said it. "I just think another time would have..." He trailed off, not voicing his concerns.

The saddle grew silent as they flew along, everyone was lost in their own thoughts. Toph could help but wonder at whether they really would find some ruins beneath the mountain. She had used a real rumor to fool her friends - there really was hearsay of a civilization lost beneath the mountains of some of the scattered Fire Nation islands. What they would find when they got there, Toph could only guess at, but she intended to find out once she gave Aang and Zuko the slip. She could fix her friends' relationship and satisfy her curiosity at the same time.  
>Appa landed with a sudden jolt, sending Toph's stomach for a spin and snapping her out of her musings. Carefully she crawled out of the saddle and jumped on the ground, the vibrations of the rock caressing her feet. She gave a small sigh of satisfaction. She was never truly happy unless her feet were in direct contact with the ground.<p>

She breathed deep and let herself take in as much of the island as she could. Before her she could feel the massive opening of a cave, and beyond that... The entire island was pocketed with miles of cave networks winding their way below the surface. She could feel water flooding some, and others were caved in, but most were relatively clear. She couldn't feel any ancient ruins that she could tell, but the caves became blurry as they descended deeper and deeper into the mountain. Anything could be hidden down there.

"So this is the cave?" Aang's voice fought the ocean wind as he landed on the ground beside Appa. "Can you feel anything?"

Toph nodded slightly. "I think so," she lied. She moved toward the cave entrance, motioning for the others to follow. "Well? Come on!"

"I will stay here and keep Appa company," Iroh said with a relaxed sigh.

"But, Uncle-"

"You go on without me. You don't want an old man like me slowing you down, do you?" Iroh gave a chuckle. "Don't get lost down there."

They slowly descended down into the network of caves. Zuko muttered something about it being dark, and a second later Toph felt the heat of a small fire behind her. She couldn't help but smile. The first part of the plan was working amazingly. All they had to do now was wind deep enough into the tunnels to get "lost", and Toph could disappear. It would be interesting to see how long it took these two knuckleheads to start talking about their feelings to each other. Toph chuckled slightly to herself. She was sure glad it wasn't her that needed to talk about her feelings.

They trotted along in relative silence, with Toph leading the way. She could feel the tension building in the air - she could have plucked a piece out and taken a bite, it was so thick.

An hour passed, then two. Toph bit back a yawn. The interweaving of caves above them was beginning to grow rather complex, a respectable maze of cavern after cavern. After what seemed like forever, she finally decided it was time to initiate step two of their plan.

"Hey!" Toph suddenly exclaimed. "I think I see something! Over here!" Without warning she broke into a run, dashing around the corner and out of sight as fast as possible. She could feel feet padding behind her, hear her name called. Wasting no time, she bent the earth beneath her, sinking down into the floor. She quickly tunneled her way around to the roof of the cavern, where she would have a better view of Aang and Zuko. She would keep an eye on them as she explored deeper into the caverns, waiting until they worked out the emotions that had caused them to kiss just two days before.

* * *

><p>The light from Zuko's firebent "torch" flickered against the cave walls as they walked, casting ominous shadows across the floor. The air was silent save for the patter of their footsteps and the occasional drip-drip of water. Aang couldn't help but pull in on himself, wrapping his arms around his midriff in a self-embrace.<p>

The slight anxiety he felt at Zuko's close presence didn't exactly help either, not this time. He knew Katara and the others didn't understand their decision to not pursue their feelings, but fear or shame weren't a part of it. They simply didn't think the relationship would work, not with the dispositions both of them held. Not that the two had actually come together to discuss the concept. Aang knew Zuko shared both his love and his reservations. Still, having unresolved lust toward the man standing beside you tended to make you a little uncomfortable. Bloody hormones!

Aang heaved a sigh and closed his eyes, using earthbending to feel the network of caves. His ability to see with earthbending was no where near Toph's, but even with his ability he could sense the vast pattern above him. It was a bloody maze! He sure hoped Toph knew what she was doing. If they got lost down here...

Hearing Toph's shout, Aang's eyes snapped open. He caught a glimpse of the small woman rounding the corner ahead and frowned. If she left them behind, they'd never get out.

Calling after her, Aang lit his own "torch" and broke into a sprint. He whipped around the corner, expecting to find an impatient Toph waiting along the cave's length. Instead he found nothing. The cave was empty; no sound, no Toph, no anything.

Zuko pulled up behind him as he slowed to a stand. From the corner of his eye he saw Zuko glance around the cave, a mixture of confusion and annoyance drawn on his face. Aang knew that his own expression must have looked something similar.

"Where did she..." Zuko began, but trailed off with a sigh. "Ahh, dammit!"

"Why would she have gone running off like that so suddenly?" Aang muttered, more to himself. "She knows we need her to navigate."

"Maybe you could use your earthbending to find her?" Zuko suggested. "You know, the feet vibration thing Toph uses?"

Aang nodded and once again closed his eyes, letting himself "see" the earth. He could feel Zuko as he shifted his weight. He could feel water drops land a few caves over. He could even feel a bat scuttling along a cave roof, perhaps the first sign of life since entering these god forsaken caves. He could _not_ sense Toph, however. It was as though she had completely vanished.

Aang released the "sixth-sense" and opened his eyes, turning to Zuko. He shrugged. That was all he could do.

Zuko let out a frustrated shout, throwing his fists against the cave wall. "I didn't even want to come!" Zuko growled. "But Uncle insisted. He's not even down here! And now we're-"

Whipping around to face Aang once again, he changed his ranting into a question - "Are we lost?"

"I..." Aang shrugged again. He couldn't sense his way out, not through the vast network of caves above them. He might be able to earthbend his way out, though. Pulling on his earthbending once more, he stomped his foot against the ground, pushing a hole through the wall that he knew would lead them closer to the entrance-

And watched as the rock quivered before coming to rest in its original position. There was no hole, not even a crack. He might as well have not earthbent at all.

"What the...?" Aang muttered aloud, staring at the stubborn wall. He had hit it with the full power of his earthbending, an Avatar's earthbending. There was little that could have stood up to that, and certainly not basic cave rock. Slowly he felt out with his earthbending in an attempt to feel whether the rock was more than what it seemed, but he got nothing.

"What's wrong?" Zuko asked curiously. There were still hints of anger in his voice - more than hints, really.

Aang shook his head. "I'm not sure I know," he replied, slightly disconcerted. "The rock won't budge."

Zuko strode over to the section of rock that had shuddered a moment before and tapped on it with a finger, as though that would give him more information than Aang's sensory earthbending would. After a moment's thought he finally shrugged, turning back to Aang. "Maybe Toph is counteracting your earthbending somehow?" he suggested.

Aang blinked. "Why would she do that?"

"Why would she completely ditch us without warning?" Zuko countered, and Aang nodded. He supposed it was a possibility, though unlikely.

The two of them stood there for an uncomfortable amount of time, unsure of what to do next. They were lost in a vast network of caves, with no earthbending to get them out and little chance of wandering aimlessly to the entrance. Despite the situation, however, an awkward silence managed to fall between the two, making Aang wish he were anywhere else. The last thing he wanted at that moment was to be alone with Zuko - well, that and be lost in an unnavigable cavern. He sat down against the wall opposite the unbent rock and pulled his knees to his chest, forcing his mind to focus on the task at hand. There had to be another way out.

Zuko fell into a pacing motion in front of him, mumbling and shaking his head as though arguing with himself. The ball of fire he still held flickered slightly, casting long shadows across the cave floor. His robes, stout wool traveling robes rather than his usual Fire Lord silk, formed to his body, moved with it with every motion Zuko made. It accentuated the subtle muscles along his arms and chest, complimented both the colour of his eyes and his hair, making his face stand out, beautiful and shaped and perfect for kissing...

Aang shook his head sharply. That was _not_ focusing. He didn't need those thoughts, not now. With a sigh he let his forehead drop to his knees. He had agreed with Zuko that keeping their relationship at friendship-only status would be best for the Fire Nation and the rest of the kingdoms, but Aang could already see that that was going to be a mite difficult. God how he wanted that body, to caress it, to splay kisses all over-

"Okay," Aang finally stood up, an air of finality in his voice. If he didn't do something, he was going to bloody well go _crazy_. "We might as well do something. I don't think we can get any more lost in these caves. I'll see if I can sense which direction is up, and we can go from there?"

Zuko stared at him for a moment - was that moment longer than necessary? - before finally nodding. "It's as good a plan as any, I suppose," he said simply.

Aang let out a sigh of... relief? Closing his eyes, he once again let the sensory perception that earthbending brought wash over him. Cutting out the useless vibrations - seeing with earthbending was as much ignoring what not to see as it was focusing on what you needed to see - he followed the path they had come backwards as it slanted upwards.

Without a word they set out back in the direction they had come, the only sound being the echoes of their footsteps. Only minutes later they came upon the first fork, and Aang closed his eyes, following both trails upwards until the paths became too blurry to "see".

"Left, I think," Aang said, pointing at the cave. They continued forward in silence. Aang's heart was fluttering faster than usual, and not from the exercise, he knew. The faster they could get out of these caves and back to the Fire Nation palace, the better. He should never have agreed to this little adventure with Toph. The last think Zuko's and his relationship needed right then was "alone time".

"Right."

"Right."

"Left."

"Uh... center?"

"Left."

"Right...?"

They continued their spiral upwards, Aang constantly feeling for any sign of the outside world to tell him they were close. Every now and again he made an attempt at earthbending, and every time he felt the same stubborn resistance that he had in the beginning. He was starting to seriously consider Zuko's suggestion - Aang could just see Toph and Iroh setting plans to lock Zuko and him alone together in a dank, dark cave. It was either that, or the rock here was infused with some sort of spiritual mojo that even he, the Avatar, couldn't sense. He thought the latter unlikely.

"So..." The sudden sound from Zuko gave Aang a start, and he let go of his earthbending senses for a moment. "How have you been... you know, for the past few days."

"Oh," Aang sighed. He supposed conversation was inevitable. Zuko was his friend, after all. He avoided looking at the man as he replied, however. He still couldn't get the feel of Zuko's lips against his own out of his mind, and he feared that looking at Zuko would cause him to lose any and all inhibitions. "Alright, I suppose. You?"

"Okay..." Zuko replied awkwardly, and the silence fell once again. Aang didn't know which was worse, awkward silence or awkward conversations.

"Right," Aang muttered, leading them through the next fork. Again he tried his earthbending, and again he was met with resistance. Shouldn't they have seen the edge of the mountain by now? It wasn't that big.

"So, how are you and Katara..." Zuko let the question trail off, and Aang felt a strong pang hit his chest. He still felt guilty about the way he and Katara had ended it. There were a dozen ways that could have gone smoother, with less raw heartbreak on Katara's part. _Kissing someone else in the gardens on your date. Yeah, Aang. Real smooth._

Realizing that Zuko was watching him, waiting for an answer, Aang put on as best a smile as he could conjure and shook his head. "We're not, anymore," he said. "She... uh... saw us, remember?"

Even by the flickering firelight Aang could see the colour spread across Zuko's cheeks. "Oh, right, that. Uh... sorry... about that..." he muttered, turning his gaze to the floor.

"Don't be," Aang sighed. He wished the conversation would change to anything else. Anything but their kiss. "It's my fault." Not the kiss - Zuko had been the one to instigate that. His failure with his relationship with Katara was what was his fault. The relationship had been going downhill long before the night in the garden.

Zuko didn't seem to have anything to say to that, and so the silence reigned once more. Aang felt his stomach give a loud grumble, and realized for the first time since getting lost that he was hungry. That was just great. He would need his strength to help get them out.

"Anything yet?" Zuko suddenly asked, startling Aang a little. He shook his head. The tunnels seemed to be as much a maze as they were when they started moving up, and there was still no sign of the outside. He was sure they had now been walking longer trying to get out than they had coming in.

With a sigh, Zuko rubbed his eyes with his fingers. "I need to get back to the palace," he muttered to himself. "We should have been back by now. If the counselor finds me missing too long, he will start to worry, and that is never a good thing."

Aang nodded. His own disappearance would cause as much a commotion, if not more, across the world. He hadn't begun to worry too much about that yet - it would take a day or two before anyone really began to question his abrupt absence - but if they couldn't get out soon, they might find themselves in a slight pickle.

"Toph should know that..." Aang thought aloud. "She should have come looking for us by now. She-"

He was cut off suddenly by a loud, clanking noise deeper in the tunnel. It sounded almost man-made, like steel dropping against rock. Aang exchanged a glance with Zuko, and they both fell against the wall and began moving toward the noise cautiously. The chances of someone other than them being down in the tunnels were slim, but the last time they had explored an ancient ruins they had found more than they bargained for.

The noise sounded again, deeper in the tunnel, and a third time, even farther. They kept pace with the noise, following it through the tunnel. Aang kept an eye on his earthbending senses, attempting to make sure the noise wasn't leading them further into the labyrinth of interlocking tunnels.

"What is that?" Zuko finally allowed himself to whisper, but all Aang could do was shake his head. It sounded like... metal footfalls on the stone. Definitely not something you would hear in an abandoned cave. Perhaps Toph was right, that there was an ancient civilization holed up down there. And perhaps they were still active. Maybe if they were lucky, they could get directions back to the surface. If they were lucky.

The clattering suddenly stopped, and Aang and Zuko stopped with it. Aang tilted his head, trying to catch any trickle of sound, any hint that what they had heard wasn't in their imagination. A minute of silence passed, and then two. Aang turned to Zuko to shrug-

And found himself suddenly engulfed in complete darkness.

* * *

><p><em>So did you like it? I hope you liked it. I liked it. Didn't you like it? If you liked it, I like you. You know what else I like? When you all do stuff that then prompts FFN to send me an alert through e-mail telling me you liked it! It makes me all fuzzy inside. And then I generally forget the alert was sent and, if it was a review, forget to reply. But still! You always want your writers feeling fuzzy inside! Unless they're a horror or tragedy writer. Then they should probably feel cold and dark and lonely inside for inspiration. I'm sure glad I don't write that. It sounds unpleasant.<em>


	4. Into the Arena!

_Sorry this took so long. I swear I didn't mean for it to. But I've finished writing, and so I thought I'd edit and post this in celebration of Zukaang week. Check out "thishasbeenahostiletakeover"'s tumblr account for more information on Zukaang week if you're interested!_

_Anyway, I hope you enjoy! Yay!_

* * *

><p>Aang stood frozen as he felt hands grasp his arms tightly. Ropes bound his hands together. Ties fastened the thick cloth sack snugly over his head. He began to thrash against his binds, calling out for help. Yells from Zuko told him that the Fire Lord was facing the same predicament. Breathing in deeply, Aang moved to airbend against the large body pressing against him-<p>

And nothing happened. He let out a grunt of surprise, and tried it again. Not even a breeze. What the hell was going on?

"Get off me!" Zuko's strangled yells sounded muffled through his sack. "What the hell!"

Aang gave a gasp as he was suddenly lifted up onto a man's shoulder, bent double like a sack of potatoes. The man began to trot forward, and Aang was bounced up and down, knocking the wind out of him. It was then that the dank, musty smell of the sac wafted to him, the smell of wet dog mixed with a sickly odor. Like it had been sprayed by something...

In desperation, Aang attempted to firebend and got nothing. He even tried reaching out with his earthbending and got only darkness. Panic welled up inside his mind, but he forced it down. He attempted to clear his mind, like the monks had taught him long ago. It was far more difficult than it should have been. His mind felt clouded, as though he'd been awake for days but couldn't sleep. He wracked his mind for an answer, explanations slipping through his fingers. Desperately he snatched at an answer: _The sacs... are drugged?_ The thought came through like a fish through molasses.

"My firebending!" He could hear Zuko still thrashing beside him. Someone must have picked him up too, and from the sounds of it, he was having the same issue with bending that Aang was. The loud roar his friend let out next made Aang wince. He was beginning to develop a killer migraine. He let out a deep sigh. There was nothing for it but to wait and see where the men took him, he supposed.

Bouncing along through the tunnels, Aang let himself zone out, and even thought he fell asleep once or twice. The drug - if it even was a drug - seemed to be sapping him of his energy as well. Even Zuko had calmed down, the only sounds in the tunnel the pattering of their captor's feet. Aang briefly wondered if Toph had met the same fate. Maybe they would meet her at the end of their journey, trussed up like some animal at an Earth Kingdom rodeo.

"The Drouzier wants them taken to the arena holding room," the man carrying Aang slurred suddenly, his accent so thick Aang could hardly understand what he said. Aang blinked, trying to push the haze from his mind. The arena? He couldn't have thought about what that meant had he wanted to.

Aang felt the man turn sharply, descending deeper into the mountain. His captor's footsteps began to mingle with other footfalls echoing off the cavern walls. Aang could hear people whisper as they passed, too low for him to catch what they were saying. He tried to push questions through his brain - Who were these people? Did they have an entire civilization down here? What was going to happen to him? - but his brain was still blurred by the drugs. It was a miracle he could even focus on staying awake.

Without warning Aang was thrown from the man's shoulder. He landed hard, forcing a pained yelp. A moment later the sack was ripped away. Light flooded Aang's eyes. He gave a cry and shut them tight, his headache protesting painfully.

"How long will the drugs last?" Aang's captor asked impatiently. Aang slowly cracked open one eye, watching as the man tossed the sack aside lazily. He was a large, burly man, black hair stretching down to his waist - and, to Aang's slight surprise, completely naked. He closed his eyes again to allow the man some decency - that's what he told himself, anyway.

"I dunno," a second man said in the same slurred accent. A second later Aang heard Zuko hit hard against the floor. "Long enough, I suppose."

Opening one eye against the light, Aang took in the second man. Much the same as the first, the man had long hair - blond this time - and strong muscles. And was completely naked. Aang's eye wandered of it's own accord, and widened as it settled on the man's waist. He was huge! No! Now was not the time to be thinking about that! He had to get free.

"Go inform the Drouzier of our trespassers' arrival," the second man said, crossing arms over a massive chest and leaning back against the small cave-room's wall. "I'll keep watch."

As the first man left the room, Aang allowed himself to study his surroundings. There wasn't much to the room. A small stone desk sat bare-topped against one wall, two plain wooden chairs set beside it. A torch hung from the wall above the desk, it's small fire illuminating the room with a flickering light. The rest of the room appeared empty, save for the burly, naked man. The man stared down at Zuko, a sort of hunger in his eyes. It made Aang flinch. What were these men going to do with them?

Lying there against the stone floor, sack no longer covering his head, the wheels in Aang's brain slowly began to turn once more. It appeared that this Drouzier had known they were in the tunnels and sent for their capture. That meant the entire network of caves was watched and inhabited by this small, underground civilization. Aang hoped that Toph had managed to evade their detection. Whatever was going to happen to Zuko and himself, they were likely going to need Toph to get them out. Aang tried his airbending again, and quietly sighed as it produced the barest of a whisper. It was returning, but painfully slow.

With a yawn the man guarding them strutted - there was no other word for it - over to one of the chairs and plopped himself down, tapping fingers against the stone table. Aang watched him a moment before making a subtle attempt to roll over so that he was facing Zuko. His friend looked as ragged as Aang felt, staring up at the ceiling with his mouth hanging slightly open.

"Zuko..." Aang whispered, so quietly that he himself barely heard it. He quickly glanced at the guard and, satisfied that the man hadn't heard him, returned his gaze to Zuko. His friend hadn't heard him either, continuing to stare up at the ceiling like a dead ferret-weasel. His half-lidded eyes were out of focus. Maybe he had been knocked unconscious?

Summoning up the nerve, Aang muttered a bit louder, "Zuko." Again there was no reaction from neither guard nor Fire Lord. With a sigh of frustration, Aang slowly reached out with his bound hands, keeping one eye on the guard, and shook Zuko slightly, then forcibly. Zuko snapped back to the present with a jolt, his head swiveling to meet Aang's eyes. Aang could see the guard watching with some interest now, his brow furrowed as through ready to intervene.

Attempting to use his eyes to communicate, Aang motioned up, then to the side, then around. Meaning, "We get up, run over to the guard, and surround him." Zuko raised an eyebrow, obviously confused. So instead he held up his hands, fingers hidden from the guard behind his body, and motioned, "Up, walk, fight."

This time Zuko's raised eyebrow wasn't out of confusion, but realization at how ridiculous that plan was. Aang shrugged. They were drugged, unable to bend or even move properly, and facing a man four times their size, but it was the best plan they had. It was that or... Aang still refused to think about what these nude men with their large members wanted with them. He felt uncomfortable just thinking about thinking about it.

Before Aang could convince Zuko to give it a try the first man, Aang's original captor, re-entered the room with a small smile on his face.

"What did the Drouzier say?" the second man asked as soon as the first entered the room.

"An arena match. Against the Beast."

Aang watched as a smile spread across the guard's face. _Well,_ Aang thought, _that sounded a lot better than... the alternative._

Before he could so much as wiggle, Aang was lifted into the air and thrown over the blond man's shoulders like a slain Deer-Cow. Once Zuko had been scooped up in a similar fashion, the men trotted from the room, down a dimly lit hall where other naked people had stopped to gossip and wait for a glimpse of the captives, and across a small cavern to a small hole. Once through the hole, they proceeded down a flight of crudely shaped steps, and out into what Aang could only call the most cavernous room he had ever seen. Ceiling too high to see from his position, the room sunk further down. What looked suspiciously like seats were worked by the hundreds around a large oval space, slanted so that the farthest seat was also the highest. The space at the center was empty, but it certainly brought to mind an arena. As Aang glanced around the room, he could see people already filing in from dozens of other entrances, rapidly filling the seats, a low murmuring buzz settling over the cavern. It appeared that they were to be the entertainment for the afternoon. Great.

Moving down toward the oval, the men passed a massive seat. high backed and studded with uncut gems, it was flanked by two smaller yet intricately worked chairs. Aang wondered if that was where this "Drouzier" would be sitting. Was he their leader, perhaps? If Aang could get free, maybe he could talk the man into some sort of peace treaty. He doubted it though.

With a grunt, Aang's carrier leapt from the viewing area, landing hard on the ground of the oval fifteen feet below. It took him only a moment to recover and walk over to where Aang could see a set of chains laid out against the ground, attached to the wall with thick links. Experimentally Aang pushed a circle of air with his legs, and nodded in satisfaction as it pushed forward. His bending was still returning. Those links would be no problem as long as they had enough time.

Aang was dropped unceremoniously to the floor, his binds cut with a sharp knife. Aang immediately grabbed a handful of dirt and threw it at the man's face. The burly man swatted the dirt away with lightning reflexes, grabbed Aang's ankle, and threw a set of chains around them, locking his legs together. Another pair went around his wrists, and a thick chain, oddly, went around his neck. He felt thoroughly captured as he watched the man walk toward a small door set in the arena's side. The only other entrance or exit to the arena was a large caged hole against the far wall, the bars rattling loudly every so often. Aang stared at that a moment, swallowing unconsciously.

"Aang," Zuko called from across the arena, pulling futilely at his chains. "Can you bend yet? Do you have it back?"

Closing his eyes, Aang summoned all the strength he had, and formed an air knife, swiping it against the chains around his wrists. They shuddered under the pressure, but it left no mark. Not nearly as strong as a full bend would have done.

"A little," he replied, trying again. Still no mark. "Nothing to be of any use. You?"

A small puff of fire whirled around Zuko's hand, and he shook his head. "What are we going to do? You don't suppose this is some crazy trick of Toph's, do you?"

Aang snorted. If it was, he was going to strangle her with his own hands. "The only thing we can do is keep trying," he said, and sliced another air knife.

Above them, where the three large seats stood, a man appeared. He was massive, muscles bulging as he crossed his arms. And as naked as his captors had been. Torchlight glinted off his teeth. The man was smiling as he watched them struggle with their bonds. It was a game to him. A show.

Zuko's fire began to truly rage, slamming against the shackles again and again. Aang could feel the heat from the fire from across the arena. Marks had begun to appear on Aang's own shackles, small but enough to give him some glimmer of hope. Only a few more minutes and he would have his hands free, then the rest of him soon after. He could make it.

As he fought his shackles, Aang couldn't help but wonder if Toph was nearby, watching them. Had she known this was going to happen? Where the hell had she gone? It seemed unlikely that she had simply been captured, not without Aang and Zuko hearing some sort of resistance. Crap, maybe she had planned this out!

And, despite the situation, Aang's mind went to his and Zuko's relationship. They had wanted to put it aside and ignore it, for the good of the world, though it hurt Aang to think that they wouldn't be together. He had hurt Katara for nothing, and made it awkward between him and his best friend. Knowing Katara, she wouldn't stand for that. Once she got over the initial shock, Aang would have to deal with her nagging for them to get together. The others would likely follow suite.

...No! Aang slammed hard against the shackles as a realization came to him. That's why they were there! That's why Toph had unexpectedly invited him and Zuko out to explore these caves, and then completely ditched them. It was a conspiracy! A plan to get him and Zuko to talk to each other! The way they had been acting, Aang was sure his other friends had noticed the tension between them, and he was willing to bet money that they were all involved in this little scheme. Well! Now it had backfired, put them in-

"Prepare the beast!" The deep voice echoed through the entire cavern, ominous. A murmur rippled through the people already gathered in the arena. Crap, how long did "preparing" this beast take? Panic began welling up inside him.

Aang pulled against the iron shackles, hitting them with one air knife after another. They rattled under the abuse, but refused to give in.

"Aang!" Zuko called from across the room. The heat of his firebending was suffocating the air, but it seemed to be having the same effect as Aang's airbending. Where the hell was Toph!

Glancing up at the man standing above them, Aang could feel the sweat begin to pour down his face. People continued filing into the stadium's seats, their forms mere shadows in the dim light of the torches.

"This isn't funny anymore, Toph!" Aang shouted, his voice echoing against the cavern's walls. "Toph!" He knew she was close!

The man above turned away with a laugh, and began speaking quietly to a figure shroud in shadows.

Biting his lips, the panic beginning to well inside him, Aang turned to Zuko. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice quiet so that only Zuko could hear. "I should have admitted my feelings for you in the beginning and... I'm sorry."

Zuko raised an eyebrow at Aang. "Is this really the time for this?" he said, his voice strained.

Aang shook his head, and buffeted his shackles as hard as he could. They could talk about it once they were free. At the moment, they-

"Release!"

Bars fell forward in apparent slow motion, landing against the floor with a loud "clang". The creature that leaped forward from the shadows was a thing of nightmare. Twenty feet tall and covered in horns, it had a massive black carapace, six stalking legs, and a face set with two gargantuan, red eyes. It stepped forward, sniffing angrily, lids sliding sideways against its eyes. It looked like some sort of giant insect.

_Bend! Bend! Shit! Toph!_ Aang's thoughts streamed together, his eyes darting between the beast and his shackles. The creature appeared to be sizing up its prey, preparing for the kill. They were dead men!

A strong burst of air broke his wrist shackles with a snap, the chains dropping to the floor. That grabbed the beast's attention. Realizing its prey was getting free, it let out a massive roar, one that shook the cavern to its core, and charged, dozens of teeth hanging in a gaping maw.

Not taking the time to think, Aang summoned all the power he could and sent a wave of fire toward the beast. It left his hands at the same moment a blast of fire left Zuko's, both slamming into the beast's face. It slid to a halt, emitting a roar of pain, and Aang took the moment's reprieve to start slashing at his leg chains. They gave more easily than the wrist ones, and as the beast recovered from the attack, those chains too fell away.

The beast wasted no time in beginning its charge anew. Holding his breath, Aang took a swipe at the chain linked to the brace around his neck, and a second. As his third landed, the links broke, and he lurched forward, rolling under the beast's legs. It passed over him, skidding to a halt as it realized its mouth was still empty.

Leaping to his feet Aang ran over to where Zuko was still struggling with his chains. He lashed out with his airbending, feeling it returning to full power. As Zuko's final chains fell away, the beast turned, examining its prey. They were more dangerous now, no longer chained to a wall. Aang smiled smugly, using a swipe of air to release the brace still wrapped around his neck.

Crouching down into a fighting stance, Aang readied himself. Now that he was free, and had the majority of his bending back, this creature should be no problem for him. A little fire here, a little air there.

As the beast began its charge once again, Aang ran forward, and then leapt straight into the ground, bending the rock around his body. He shot up again, layered in a thick coating of rock, headed by a sharp lance point. He felt more than saw his human-sized rock lance rip through one of the beast's legs. A cry of pain threatened to bring his headache back as Aang landed lithely on the ground. He smiled. It appeared he had not only his bending back, but the full use of his body. The drug hadn't lasted long at all, not on the Avatar.

Fire erupted against the beast's face once, twice, three times as Zuko jogged around the squirming mass of carapace, hands flying with fire. As he approached Aang, he let his hands drop, hands on his knees. His firebending didn't seem to be back to full yet, or his energy. Aang wondered briefly what that drug had been.

"What did you mean?" Zuko breathed, watching the beast carefully.

"Huh?" Aang replied intelligibly.

"Before, when you said that you should have told me how you felt to begin with," Zuko clarified. The beast was stirring, and Aang could see anger in its eyes.

"I thought you said this wasn't the time for that." Aang stomped a foot, sending a slab of earth crashing down on the beast's head. At least his earthbending seemed to be working again too. Perhaps it hadn't been the cave walls earlier that had stopped it. Aang was going to have a few choice words with Toph when he saw her next.

Zuko stared at the beast a moment, then shrugged. "We're not in any real danger now. I think you have it subdued rather nicely."

"Kill them!" a voice suddenly boomed, and Aang's gaze shot to where the Drouzier stood in front of his chair. Two rather naked women hung from his sides, breasts hanging free. Aang blushed at the indecency of it. Feelings for Zuko or no feelings for Zuko, naked women still made him uncomfortable.

"Time to go," he said, turning toward the same door his captor had used only minutes before. He could already hear feet landing on the ground behind him. A shot of fire blazed passed his ear, and he winced, feeling the skin singe from the heat.

As they reached the door, a slab of earth jutted up, barring their way. Aang moved to bend it back into the ground, but it slid away on its own, revealing their path once more. They continued forward hastily. Another slab blocked their path and was pushed aside, and then a third. Zuko ran a step behind Aang, looking over his shoulder and trying his best to negate any fire sent their way.

"What the...?" Zuko muttered as one wall seemed to jolt back and forth, as though not sure whether to block their path or not. As they passed it slid shut, giving them a second's reprieve from the ever increasing shots of fire.

"Toph," Aang explained as quick as possible. "At least we know where she is now."

As though the name were a summons, Toph slid out of the ground, already at a run. "Hi guys," she said nonchalantly. She ducked as the barrier was pushed aside and a ball of fire shot over her head.

"Where the hell have you been?" Zuko demanded, his breath already starting to come short. Between months of desk work and the drugs they'd been wrapped in, Aang wasn't sure Zuko was going to be able to keep up all the way to the top.

"Oh, you know, around," Toph shrugged, then smiled. "So, anything interesting happen while I was gone?"

"Agh!" Zuko shouted in frustration and stopped dead. "This!" He gestured at the pursuing army of people crowding the tunnels. As he did so, a massive wave of fire shot from his hands, engulfing the entire tunnel. Sweat sprung up on Aang's brow from the heat as he watched their pursuers get torched alive.

Dropping his hands and breathing hard, Zuko turned away and began trotting forward again. Aang took a moment to lift a slab of earth to bar their retreat, and followed. He couldn't help but think that had been an unnecessary cruelty, but he let it go. They had been trying to kill him, after all.

"Talk about much?" Toph asked once she had determined they were on the right path to the exit.

"Subtle much?" Aang quirked an eyebrow.

Toph stuck her tongue out at him. "I heard you. All, 'Ooo, Zuko, I had feelings from the beginning!'"

"You were close enough to hear that and yet you didn't do anything to help?" Zuko appeared ready to lose his temper, and no wonder. Had Aang not had years of training with the monks, he might have taken a swipe at Toph himself.

"Well, yeah. The goal of the trip was to make you talk. I had to listen in to make sure you did." She shrugged as though it were no big deal.

"We'll _talk_ when we get back to the palace," Aang told her. They rounded a bend in the cave, the slope began to lead sharply upwards. "_In private,_" he added when he saw her smile. He muttered silently to himself. His friends were going to be the death of him.

* * *

><p><em>Next Chapter should be up later this week! I'll add more comments here when I have time. To work with me!<em>


End file.
